Coventry Bears v Leeds Rhinos: Investment in academy is bearing fruit for Rob Burrow

Rhinos will field an under-19s squad in the club’s third pre-season game and academy coach Rob Burrow is excited to see his teenage prospects in action against semi-professional opposition.

Leeds’ lineup includes full-timers Thomas Holroyd, Corey Johnson, Muizz Mustapha and Owen Trout.

“Everybody in the squad [for tonight] is academy-qualified,” confirmed Burrow who made his coaching debut when Leeds won 74-14 at Butts Park a year ago.

“We have 11 or 12 first years this time and four or five of them will play. The rest are second years with Muizz [Mustapha] and Loui [McConnell] the only third years.

“It will be a good test for them, playing against men. Regardless of skill, they’ll be tackling people who are older than them and more developed.

“It was a similar situation last year and they came out of it pretty well.”

Rhinos’ academy have been in training since mid-November though their league season does not start until late next month.

Burrow admitted his squad has been low on numbers at times, with several academy-qualified players having been promoted into the full-time group, but he is pleased with what he has seen so far.

“It has been good, everybody is in pretty good nick,” he said of pre-season up to now. “It is hard to judge where we are at, but the young lads are getting stuck in and they are coming along nicely. We are expecting a tough, physical game and it’ll be a chance to see where we are.”

A similar side is expected to be selected for the Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy tie at Hunslet on February 3 and Burrow is also looking to arrange an opposed training session against City of Hull academy before the league campaign kicks off.

Leeds Rhinos (at Coventry): Whitton, Tindall, Broadbent, J Burton, Hamill, Spence, Anderson, Holroyd, Johnson, Mustapha, Trout, Martin, McConnell. Subs O Burton, Stephens, Georgiou, Rowley, Russell, Scrimshaw.